Pillar Biosciences Expands Myeloid NGS Panel to 80 Genes

The new panel builds upon the original 58-gene configuration, incorporating 22 additional targets while maintaining compatibility with existing laboratory workflows. By utilizing proprietary SLIMamp chemistry and the VersaTile primer design tool, the company updated the panel with minimal changes to the original amplicon structure. This allows clinical researchers to scale their testing capabilities without the need for extensive re-validation of previous content.

A central feature of the v2 update is its enhanced ability to resolve FLT3-ITDs, which occur in approximately 20–30% of new acute myeloid leukemia cases. Historically, laboratories have relied on capillary electrophoresis to size these duplications, as short-read sequencing often struggles with longer or multiple tandem repeats. Independent testing of 111 samples demonstrated that the new panel, supported by PiVAT informatics, accurately detects and sizes ITDs up to 279 base pairs—including concurrent multiple mutations—using standard 2x150 bp sequencing. This advancement allows for the identification of distinct clonal populations and sensitive variant allele frequency detection down to 1%, potentially eliminating the need for fragmented, multi-step testing protocols.